Ice-cream coating fats known so far are mainly based on triglycerides, in particular triglycerides containing medium-chain fatty acid residues, such as lauric acid residues. Typical examples of such fats are disclosed in, e.g., EP 23,150, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,017,392, 4,560,563, 4,086,370 and 3,959,516. However, hydrogenated vegetable non-lauric fats and triglycerides high in polyunsaturated fatty acids are also known as ice-cream coating fats, e.g. from EP 502,697, EP 246,366, EP 23,151 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,968.
Hitherto, no composition has been disclosed that is based on diglycerides and is suitable as ice-cream coating fat.
According to EP 402,090 oil-in-water emulsions are known, in which the fat phase comprises 10-99 wt. % of a diglyceride mixture having an increasing melting point of at most 20.degree. C., which mixture can also contain some monoglycerides, the total glyceride blend having a melting point of 35.degree. C. or below. These emulsions are suitable as cream alternatives and for ice-cream application. For the latter application, however, the emulsion is used for the ice-cream mass and not for the coating of the ice cream.